Men Who Killed Gandhi - Softcover

Manohar Malgonkar

Softcover

ISBN 10: 8174366172 ISBN 13: 9788174366177

Publisher: Roli Books, 2008

The Men Who Killed Gandhi is a non-fictional work detailing the events surrounding the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi, one of the key political figures in India s struggle for freedom. The Men Who Killed Gandhi is a chronicle of the events that culminated in the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi, and the subsequent trial of the conspirators.

Mahatma Gandhi played a significant role in India s struggle for independence from the British rule and the subsequent structural rebuilding of free India. India s newfound independence brought with it numerous problems, most notably the turbulent event of the Partition of India.

The division of the country provoked widespread riots, forced migrations, and other such traumatic events that scarred millions of Indians for life, making them question the decisions of India s political leadership, which included Mahatma Gandhi. Eventually, a dangerous idea took hold in the minds of four of these angry and dissatisfied citizens, who were residents of Poona. On January 13, 1948, these six people, Nathuram Vinayak Godse, Narayan Apte, Vishnu Karkare, Gopal Godse, Badge, and Madanlal Pahwa decided to take the extreme step of killing Gandhi.

Over the next fortnight they went about fine-tuning their plan. On January 30, 1948, in Delhi, Nathuram Godse shot Mahatma Gandhi thrice at point blank range killing him instantly. The six men were implicated for the murder; two of them were hanged, while three of them were awarded life sentences. The book is backed by solid research on the author s part. The author, Manohar Malgonkar, was a resident of Delhi when these events occurred and also had privileged access to some of the family members of the conspirators. As a result, he came into possession of several important photographs and documents related to the assassination, many of which have been featured in this book for the benefit of the readers.

About the Author:

Manohar Malgonkar is an Indian author and columnist. His published works include Inside Goa, A Teller of Tales, Cactus Country, Shalimar, The Devil s Wind, Spy in Amber, Bandicoot Run, Bombay Beware, Chatrapatis of Kolhapur, Distant Drum, and Dropping Names. His writing explores various social, historical, and biographical themes. It often draws on the events surrounding Indian Independence as a backdrop for his plots.

Manohar Malgonkar was born under royal lineage on July 12, 1913. He graduated from Bombay University and went on to serve as an officer in the Maratha Light Infantry. He was also a civil servant, a hunter, a farmer, and a mine owner. Malgonkar contributed columns regularly to Indian newspapers like Deccan Herald and The Statesman. He lived near Belgaum, Karnataka. His only daughter, Sunita, died in 1998. Malgonkar passed away on June 14, 2010.